Digital broadband broadcast networks enable end users to receive digital content including video, audio, data, and so forth. Using a mobile terminal, a user may receive digital content over a wireless digital broadcast network. Digital content can be transmitted wirelessly using a fixed data rate, such as provided by the MPEG-TS (Moving Pictures Experts Group Transport Stream) standard. To keep up a level of acceptable quality of service, at least some amount of buffering of data is needed. If an insufficient amount of data is maintained in the buffer during data streaming, the data in the buffer may be completely consumed resulting in unacceptable interruptions in service. Thus, a user may experience frustration from having to wait for the arrival of subsequent data. Conversely, if there is excessive buffering, there is a resultant increase in memory consumption and use of resources. This results in delays in the service provision, for example, more time may be necessary to open the service.
When the bit rate is constant, buffering may be calculated based on the amount of time to allow for buffering and the rate of bit streaming. However, accurate determination of the proper amount of buffering is difficult in most systems, such as systems with bursty traffic.
Methods and systems are needed to enable more efficient transmissions in wireless digital broadcast networks.